The purine nucleoside adenosine exerts numerous effects in the mammalian he
art, the most well-recognized being regulation of coronary blood flow and c
ardiac conduction. These effects are mediated via activation of G protein l
inked adenosine receptor subtypes, A(2a), and A(1) receptors, located prima
rily on vascular cells and cardiac myocytes, respectively. Although adenosi
ne A(1) receptors are also expressed in ventricular myocytes, adenosine exe
rts no significant direct effects in these cells. A recent report from our
laboratory indicates that ventricular myocyte A(1) receptors are concentrat
ed in caveolin enriched plasma membrane microdomains referred to as caveola
e. This review focuses on these recent findings and their relevance to subc
ellular compartmentalization of A(1) receptor signaling in ventricular myoc
ardium. (Trends Cardiovasc Med 2001; 11:259-263). (C) 2001, Elsevier Scienc
e Inc.